Lallana’s immense performance vs. Boro in numbers

Liverpool really needed their 3-0 win over Middlesbrough on Wednesday night. Going into the match, Jurgen Kopp’s Reds had picked up just five of the last twelve points available to them, which, coupled with Chelsea and Arsenal’s impressive form, had seen them slip from the summit of the division towards the top four race.

It wasn’t just the results that had caused concern either; it was the manner in which the Merseyside club had folded against Bournemouth and West Ham that created genuine anxiety, with some of the verve of their early-season performances having evaporated.

So, it was quite apt that, arguably, their player of the season Adam Lallana was the man that inspired such a vital win. The English playmaker has looked revitalised under Klopp in a deeper, central role and the numbers from his showing at the Riverside Stadium really summed up what he brings to the side.

Lallana was heavily involved with 83 touches of the ball, while a pass completion of 85% is not to be sniffed at given the bulk of his play came in the final third. On top of this, he weighed in with the first and last goal of the game and teed up Divock Origi for the other. It really was a complete performance.

And it was no shock, with the 28-year-old (stats via Squawka) currently enjoying by far his best season at Liverpool in terms of goals and assists-per-game…